Nathan’s first 3-loop conversation

Last week, Nathan and I had our first 3-loop conversation:

Nathan: Carry me please.
Mama: Do you want me to carry you?
Nathan: Please.
Mama: (still trying to push my luck) Who do want to carry you, Papa or Mama?
Nathan: (glances at Papa, then looks back at me as he replies) Mama!

Boy was I celebrating after that! Nathan was able to answer the question and sustain his attention for the next round of questions. That’s 3 loops!

He also said a chain of comments at grandfather:
Lolo (grandfather) is cutting his nails. Lolo is using a nail cutter. The nail cutter looks like this (as he makes cutting scissor actions with his fingers).

Amazing!

Useful Replacement Beliefs to Live By

From Bears Kaufman, co-founder of the the Son-Rise Program for Autism/Autism Treatment Center of America

USEFUL REPLACEMENT BELIEFS TO LIVE BY!

Replace “I can’t” to “Yes, I can.”
Replace “I don’t know” to “I do know.”
Replace “I am not sure” to “Yes, I’m sure.”
Replace “No one cares” to “I care and that’s enough!”

Am I saying it’s that easy…that simple, that direct? When you put yourself on the road to transformation, you can use any tool to help facilitate the changes you want. Replacing beliefs that don’t serve you with beliefs that do serve you — ah, well, that’s like a cerebral chocolate truffle! You can start simple, one belief at a time. However, starting here, right now, greases the wheels to the new, improved you.

Go ahead…pick one belief about yourself and the world that been dogging you and flip it — REPLACE IT WITH A NEW REPLACEMENT BELIEF. Review the new belief in your thoughts, visual where and how it would work…and get going.

What belief will you pick to change and what will your replacement belief be? Let me know if you’d like and please share this simple concept with everyone you know (so they, too, can put themselves on the path to change). Change can be simple. Change can be easy. And change can be done without pain and grief. What are you going to change today?

Love and smiles, Bears Barry Neil Kaufman (Author HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE and SON-RISE:THE MIRACLE CONTINUES and Co-Founder Option Institute/Autism Treatment Center of America)

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I used to believe I was a good starter but had a hard time finishing. I ran races and walked in the last kilometers breaking my personal promise to run my best the whole way. I couldn’t finish my 9 months of pregnancy but instead give birth to my premature twins (7 months).

Now, I believe: I can finish this! I can run Nathan’s Son-Rise Program and finish it! Nathan (and most especially I) will graduate from the program. He will make friends, have a best friend, accomplish anything he sets his mind on doing, etc.

Son-Rise can fix anything neurological

Proof that Son-rise can fix anything neurological. And growth can be exponential:

Two days ago Nathan amazed me when he appropriately played with Legos. This is what his Aunt, who’s an occupational therapist had to say:

“Awesome. For the next two months, Nathan will continue to amaze us with his fine motor skills. ( usually any activities which involves both hands- when this happens: the higher level of thinking, brain functions and both brain hemispheres are working together ) “

Nathan suddenly knows how to play with Legos

Nathan does not normally play with toys because he tends to put them in his mouth. Until now, his way to exploring his world is still predominantly through his taste buds. But today was great! While we were playing with Legos, he purposefully said, “I want to build a tall building.” He proceeded and really made one, almost entirely by himself.

About an hour, or so prior, to that wonderful even, I simply “joined” Nathan the Son-Rise way. When he mouthed the Lego, I tasted one too; when he tapped it against teeth, I checked out the vibration too; then when he was ready, I challenged him to put one block on top of the other.

Today, all I planned to gain was to get Nathan to put a block on top, a step at a time. Then pull them a part, a block at a time. All in single step commands. But he showed me he could understand and certainly do a lot more!

It’s one of those son-rise moments when a switch seems to just have turned on. All of a sudden Nathan knows how to play with Legos.

I wonder what we’re going to build tomorrow?

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Compliant Autistic vs. Fully Recovered

There’s a big difference between a compliant autistic child and an autistic-fully-recovered.

A compliant autistic will stop “isming” because his strict parents or therapist told him to. But he will still have sensory issues and will still have difficulty socializing and making friends.

An autistic-fully-recovered will stop “isming” because he chooses to. He does not cling on to “isms” anymore because his parents/friends have not only allowed him to “ism” but have also joined and enjoyed “isming” with him.

When we started our son-rise program, 4 months ago, Nathan and I could “ism” away with a book for more than 2 hours before he chose to interact with me. Now, he knows how it feels to “ism” with a book and ignores it. If ever, he will pick a book up momentarily, “ism” for a minute, then drop it and move on.
Less “isms” means more social interaction.

Nathan has a long way to go, but I know we’re going the right direction. We’re on our way to full recovery. One day, Nathan will be able to hold decent conversations, he will have a best friend, and he will be able to do whatever he wishes to pursue.

Www.autismtreatment.org

“ism” definition – exclusive, repetitive behavior

My definition of “ism” – anything that takes your child away from interacting socially and allows him to withdraw into his autistic world. It could be as simple as drawing by himself or talking to himself.

Grandfather is son-rising Nathan

Lolo tried a little son-rising today. Nathan did some “isming” with the slinky at first but glanced at Lolo frequently as Lolo “joined” him holding his own slinky. When Nathan dropped the slinky, he didn’t try to get it again. Instead he looked at Lolo and watched Lolo play with the slinky. I explained to Lolo that Nathan was more interested in what Lolo was doing rather than withdrawing into his autistic world. Since day one, Nathan showed a lot of interest in Lolo.

Lolo also started reading a son-rise book and agrees with all the principles in it.

He recalled, as a kid, how peers used to hate schooling. One even stopped schooling. He wonders if they too needed help. Could they have been given better chances at coping in school had their parents know about son-rise or even just the basic son-rise principles?